Friday, November 5, 2010

General Steel Holdings (NYSE:GSI), Gerdau S.A. (NYSE:GGB) and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (NYSE:SID) all moved up with the broader commodity sector Thursday, as the announcement that the Federal Reserve was going to inflate again via its quantitative easing strategy pushed up the price of commodities in anticipation of the inevitable inflation to come.

The steel industry could go through a seasons of swings as currencies respond to the fall in value of the U.S. dollar, which will affect margins because of the wide swings in currency value and the battle by some against the Chinese renminbi, which they'll have to take defensive measures against.

Because of market factors, and the overall economic health of the steel industry, it probably won't partake in the surge in commodity prices and demand as other raw materials will surelydo.

General Steel Holdings closed at $39.40 Thursday, rising $0.86, or 2.23 percent. Gerdau S.A. surged to close at $13.55, gaining $0.29, or 2.19 percent. Companhia Siderurgica Nacional was up to $14.59 at the end of the trading session, gaining $0.54, or 3.84 percent.